Eupithecia is a large genus of moths of the family Geometridae. There are hundreds of described species, found in all parts of the world, and new species are discovered on a regular basis.
Eupithecia species form the bulk of the group commonly known as pugs. They are generally small with muted colours and specific identification can be difficult. As a group they are easily identified by their narrow wings held flat at 90° to the body with the hindwings almost hidden behind the forewings.
Common pug, Eupithecia miserulata feeding on Black eyed susan flower
The larvae of many species feed on the flowers and seeds of their food plants rather than the foliage. Many species have a very specific food plant. Some Hawai'ian Eupithecia are predators of other insects (E. orichloris, E. staurophragma, E. scoriodes). They mimic twigs but when sensitive hairs on their backs are triggered, they quickly grab the insects touching them. The defensive behavior of snapping may have pre-adapted Hawai'i's ancestral Eupithecia for shifting to predation from feeding on pollen. Also, insect predators that behave in this way are lacking in Hawai'i's fauna.
44 species are resident in the British Isles:
References
Chinery, Michael Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe 1986 (Reprinted 1991)
Skinner, Bernard Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles 1984
Montgomery, SL 1983. Carnivorous caterpillars: the behavior, biogeography and conservation of Eupithecia (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) in the Hawaiian Islands. GeoJournal 7 (6): 549-556. DOI: 10.1007/BF00218529
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